Hours:
The role of Corporate Communications Lead is a permanent position working 35 hours per week. Skipton values work/life balance and our hybrid working policy means the ability to work remotely with the expectation that you would work from our Head Office in Skipton 2 days per week.
Salary:
£34,000 Per Annum
Closing Date:
Thu, 22 Aug 2024
Salary between £28,000 - £34,000 dependent on experience
Introduction
Are you looking for an in-house role in public relations or corporate communications? Because we might be looking for you.
We’re searching for someone to join our multi award-winning Corporate Communications team. We need someone to support the planning and delivery of external communications programmes; someone who’s a good communicator, who’s interested in news and current affairs, who’s creative, and who’s organised.
Skipton has a vacancy for a Corporate Communications Lead to join our small but mighty in-house team. You’ll be responsible for supporting the delivery of communications for our homes and money businesses, protecting and enhancing Skipton’s 171-year-old reputation. Reporting into the Head of Corporate Communications, and working alongside our agency partners, you’ll support the planning, delivery and evaluation of Skipton’s external communications.
If you have previously worked in public relations or communications roles, are a confident communicator, and have the ability to think creatively, then we’d love to hear from you.
Who Are We?
Established in 1853, Skipton Group is built on two core foundations: Homes and Money. With over 1million members, and 1,200 branches, we offer accessible financial advice,
mortgages and support for savers.
We are home to the UK’s largest estate agency, which helps over one in ten individuals buy and sell their homes. That gives us unique real time insight into the UK residential market, which we use to help people into homes, help policymakers make better decisions, and help society address the needs of the hardest hit.
Our purpose
With member-ownership in our DNA, we’re driven by the desire to make every experience better, whether it’s looking for a home to rent, finding a mortgage to buy a home or understanding the way an unexpected inheritance can unlock new horizons for life ahead. With every step we take, we want to deliver value for our members alongside value for wider society, so that an investment with Skipton means a better society for all.
Our group structure
The Skipton Group is made up of Skipton Building Society; Connells Group, the largest UK estate agency and property services provider; offshore finance capability through Skipton International; Skipton Business Finance; and Jade Software Corporation.
Our colleagues say Skipton's a great place to work, and you could be one of them, bringing with you new ideas on how we can keep customers at the heart of what we do.
You’ll be joining the multi award-winning Corporate Communications team. The five-strong team handle all the Society’s media relations, corporate announcements, creative consumer campaigns, issues and crisis management, as well as coordinating wider Skipton Group communications. The team won a national CIPR 2024 Mark of Excellence Award for Best In-House PR Team of the Year. And at the 2023 CIPR Pride Awards they scooped the Corporate and Business Campaign of the year.
What’s In It For You?
The role of Corporate Communications Lead is a permanent contract based on 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
Skipton values work/life balance and our hybrid working policy means the ability to work remotely with the expectation that you would work from our Head Office in Skipton 2 days a week as a minimum. We have a newly refurbished head office which offers a vibrant and collaborative working space.
We have a range of other benefits available to you including:
25 days standard annual leave + bank holidays + rising 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days.
Holiday trading scheme allowing the ability to buy and sell additional annual leave days.
Matching employer pension contribution (up to 10% per annum).
Colleague mortgage and savings accounts, as well as a host of colleague discount schemes
A commitment to training and development.
Private medical insurance for all our colleagues.
Salary Sacrifice Scheme for hybrid/electric car.
3 paid volunteering days per year.
Diverse and inclusive colleague networks available for you to join including our Carers and Pride Alliance groups.
We care about your health and wellbeing – we provide a range of benefits that support this including cycle to work initiative and discounted gym membership.
What Will You Be Doing?
Helping drive and protect the external reputation of Skipton Building Society across national, regional, trade and broadcast media both reactively and proactively.
Promoting and protecting the Society’s brand and reputation through best practice corporate communications activities spanning media relations, consumer public relations campaigns, commercial projects, events, evaluation and analysis.
Playing a key role in supporting and delivering a calendar of proactive events and news stories to keep Skipton front of mind with customers, influencers and the media.
Contributing to the development of the corporate plan and Chief Marketing Officer function with proactive, creative ideas. Working with people at all levels across the society to identify, research and write proactive communications plans, press releases and prepare digital and social media content.
Taking personal ownership for the delivery of individual Corporate Communications projects and activities to a high standard, with appropriate support and guidance. Working with PR agency partners to ensure projects are delivered effectively and provide a return on investment.
Work closely with key stakeholders across the business to help successfully deliver Corporate Communications strategy, ensuring channel alignment and supporting the achievement of business goals.
Monitoring and responding to media enquiries, working quickly and efficiently to resolve them, with the right support and guidance.
What Do We Need From You?
Experience of working with local and regional media.
Experience of social media and influencer communications.
Strong written and verbal communication - with the ability to listen, negotiate and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Ability to create and deliver communications across multiple channels.
Ability to stay calm and focussed under pressure.
Good reputational judgement and news sense.
Creative thinking.
Knowledge of and interest in the UK financial services marketplace and principles of corporate communications, including media relations, digital content creation, stakeholder engagement and issues/crisis management.